A Wolf's Teeth
by forgottenwind
Summary: The Wolves follow their own rules and those set by the Alpha. Vaeil Freebond is a Wolf on a Hunt. Her prey is elusive to the point where the Dogs can't even get close. Vaeil must prove to these tamed Dogs that an untamed Wolf keeps all her teeth.
1. Chapter 1

Hey all. Thank you for checking out this story. I must start by adding the following:

I do not own any part of the series and that any characters that are familiar are the brilliant ideas of Ms. Tamora Pierce.

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><p>April 20 250 HE<p>

Written upon arrival in Lower City Corus

I have just barely moved my things into my room at Mistress Trout's lodgings. I'm still not sure why I was sent to be here. I'm to make myself known to both the Dogs of Corus as well as Rosto the Piper, Rogue of Corus. What am I to do? I've got prey to catch and politics to play. I write a horrible first entry. My name is Vaeil Freebond. If I had a choice, I'd say I'm the ultimate Rogue. Why? Well, it's my training, I guess. I'm a trained Wolf. We Wolves are taught to become whatever we choose. We can mingle into any social group almost seamlessly and we'd Dog prey until the end of the world if we had to. The difference between a Dog and a Wolf? Wolves don't have to look out for coves and mots that can look after themselves. Thieves, murderers, and cub-snatchers, the exceptions of course. Pickpockets count as thieves and a Wolf has a long memory. We'll hunt until we get back what was gone or take it out of their hides. Some are too fragile to survive a Taking, others not fragile enough. I hear the coos of birds next door. The mot next door is always feeding the pigeons. I suppose I should be neighborly. Well, later then.

Around Midnight

I must say that Sergeant Goodwin is one tough mot. In a way, it's too bad that no one found her as a gixie. No one meaning a Nurser. At least that's what I think anyway. I walked into the Jane Street Kennel to introduce myself though there was a rather elderly cove that seemed to growl at the sight of me. "What are you doing here?" he growled. Apparently, he'd had a run-in with a Wolf before though his growl sounded like that of a Cub's. I only gave him a friendly wave and moved to the Watch Sergeant.

"Wolf Vaeil Freebond, declaring a Hunt within the territory of Corus." I used the typical Wolf declaration, seeing as how most Wolves liked to get straight to the point. The Desk Sergeant simply gave me a stern glare. I sincerely resisted the urge to shrug. It wouldn't bode well if the mot didn't take me seriously.

"What brings a Wolf to Corus?" The Sergeant was as straight as a magicked arrow. I also resisted the urge to grin. Wolves were known for being stoic, harsh, and cold. They did what they needed and then went on their way. How many times had my Nurser tried to beat my humor out of me? I allowed myself a smirk.

"I don't interfere with Dog business and you shouldn't interfere with a Wolf's." To that, I received a harsh glare, one I felt from all around. That didn't stop me though. I was used to glares, got them from my Nurser and the Wind all the time. "I'm on a hunt and if you delay me further, I shall have to conduct a Taking." Surely these dogs had heard of a Taking. There was a growl from one of the Dogs I had my back to, possibly the older one that had growled at me when I first arrived. Time Takings were the worst kind for the receiver. The Wolf pretty much interfered with the receiver as much as possible until the time lost equaled what the Wolf had lost. I'd gotten pretty good at those as of late. The Sergeant waved a hand at me.

"Begone then, Wolf. Don't bother us and we won't bother you." The mot didn't even seem a bit fazed at my threat of a Taking. I heard her address the Dog that had growled at me as Yaov or something like that. As I walked out, I saw Beka Cooper, my next door neighbor walk into the Kennel. I admit that when she told me she was a Dog when I introduced myself to her earlier, I wasn't a bit surprised. I was surprised when her cat spoke to me however. Something about meeting a Starmaker. Now I try to avoid that kind of magic as much as I can. I'm tired. I shall write of my appearance in the Court of the Rogue tomorrow.

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><p>Well, I hope you enjoyed this. Give me a review please? It would help me out a lot.<p>

Ah in other news,

Cub = much like a Puppy

Nurser = A trainer Wolf

Starmaker = one who hears the whispers of the Stars, a bit like a Seer.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own any familiar characters or places. Tamora Pierce is the genius that created them.

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><p>April 21, 250 HE<p>

For a Scanran, I suppose that Rosto the Piper could be considered handsome. That is, if I were into that sort. I don't look for loving very much I suppose but no one could accuse me of being a honeylove. Those women scare the daylights out of me. I heard rumors that the old Alpha used to be a bardasher, before our current Alpha beat him down. My Nurser used to warn me away from such things, saying it wasn't proper though I was left to discover what the two were myself. That is a story I am not willing to get into. Ever. Anyway, back to my visit at the Court of the Rogue. I declared myself to the Rogue and he simply stared at me. Taking that as a sign to leave, I attempted to do so. I was stopped by a man who couldn't have been much older than I. I gave a lazy glance back at the Rogue who only smiled. Did he really want me to start baring my teeth now? I didn't have any qualms about it, but it was such a pain. If my Nurser knew I was saying things like that, I'd get bitten twice over. A Wolf should never hesitate to bare her teeth. Not to say I can't, I just don't ever feel like it. Those that don't know Wolves should be treated like newborn Cubs, at least that's how I feel. They don't know a thing about being a Wolf so they don't know how we work.

"If the Rogue is too scared of receiving a Taking himself, I suppose you'll do." I had addressed the cove in front of me, though it was loud enough for everyone to hear. At that, the Court fell silent. I kept my eyes on the cove before me but felt all eyes on me.

"You shouldn't mess with a cove who's got his hands in everything everywhere." I heard the threat in the Rogue's voice.

"It's precisely because a cove's got his hands in everything that'll make him easy prey for a Taking." I really need to hold my tongue sometimes, but Wolves fear nothing, or shouldn't. Me? I just don't know when shutting up is for my own good. With that, I did a Wolf basic. I kicked the cove in front of me as I jumped and was by the door before he could shout an alarm. Speed was a basic skill of a Wolf. If we want to be neutral, we run. If we want to protect, we strike first. If we lost in either, we were dead.

I glanced back at the Rogue, with as wolfish a grin as I could manage. "I suppose someone in your Court will receive a Taking, then." I just need to find a proper target. Maybe the cove that stepped in my way? Why not? He seemed pretty important to the Rogue.

Afternoon

This morning I saw my neighbor, Miss Cooper enter the Dancing Dove for breakfast. How odd. I was told that the Dogs tried their hardest to avoid interactions with the other side of the law. I used my morning to track my prey of course. There were complaints of some sort of energy sickness, a feeling of energy simply sapping away and the person withering away. This set my teeth on edge. The city of Corus reeked of my prey and those that hid him. I've met my prey once but it was an illusion cast by his Gift so I suppose that I've never met him. Of course, he leaves me with a name and a challenge. Just the memory sets me on edge. _"Can you come find the great Torsti? Come, Wolfling. Surely you can hunt better than that?"_ I spoke with a few of those who complained about suddenly losing their energy. Torsti must have had contact with each in some way. He was gathering energy for a reason but that reason was as much a mystery to me as a Dog being friends with the Rogue. The Dogs must be blind to not notice the energy leaving Lower City. I picked right though. He would attack the slums and the Cesspool first. After all, who takes notice of those places? There are too many that are simply tired and need rest. There is nothing I can do at the moment but wait until the true terror begins. By then, those Dogs will have to take notice and the true Hunt can begin.


End file.
